A joint-master of the Warwickshire hunt is quoted in the Journal as saying that their hounds have killed foxes by 'mistake' ('Hunts maintain festive tradition', December 23rd) but the Hunting Act makes no exemption for accidents.
The authorities may use their discretion with regard to 'intent' as they do with other laws but the following advice was given in a well known hunting magazine by Robert Rhodes QC in respect of 'accidental foxhunting':
"....The more often there was such an "accident", the less likely would be the court's acceptance of it. A court could very well decide this was an excuse by the huntsman to try to get away with breaking the law, and so convict him, with his staff and any other followers criminally implicated" (Horse & Hound 27/10/2005).
The hunts have a duty to restrain their hounds or else they will build a case for their own prosecution.
Gill Purser, Clapton-on-the-Hill, Cheltenham, Glos.
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